


O Christmas Tree

by magnum_pi_4_life



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, Christmas tree farm, Cute, F/M, Feelings, Flirting, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Memories, Miggy - Freeform, Military, magnum and higgins, magnum is nostalgic, military christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:41:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28161096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnum_pi_4_life/pseuds/magnum_pi_4_life
Summary: "What were Christmases like at your military base, Magnum? This tree reminds you of the Christmases you spent there, doesn’t it?”Of course. It all made sense. Magnum was nothing if not sentimental, and because there were plenty of things about his time in the Navy that he wished he could forget, he grew instantly attached to the things that reminded him of the better times.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 33
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I'm actually posting a fanfic! What a miracle LOL.  
> It's the Christmas season y'all and I really hoped I would be able to write a Christmas fanfic, so I'm really excited to have actually done so. Just a little story I put together. Hope y'all like it!

Christmas in Hawaii was one of the most different and fun things Thomas Magnum had ever experienced. Having spent most of his Christmases in Virginia, he was used to it being cold and sometimes snowy when the holiday came around. 

Not in Hawaii. With a balmy temperature of seventy-five degrees, Magnum’s Christmases had changed drastically from snowy to beachy and he wasn’t complaining. Oahu never ceased to amaze him, and had went above and beyond to impress him when Christmas arrived. People built sandmen instead of snowmen, it seem like every single palm tree on the island was wrapped in Christmas lights, Magnum witnessed a demonstration of a snow-making machine, and was educated by Kumu on Hawaii’s Santa Claus or Kanakaloka. 

There was one thing that had remained much the same as Magnum’s previous Virginia Christmases, however, and that was Christmas trees. Other than maybe having more Hawaiian themed ornaments, the tradition was naturally the same. You buy a tree, whether real or artificial, you put in your house and decorate it, and viola! 

Unfortunately, it was no longer as simple as Magnum remembered it being. At least, it wasn’t when you lived in a large multi-million dollar estate run my two women who were intent on making sure not an inch of Robin’s Nest looked “out of season”. 

“Mr. Masters always has the estate completely decorated,” Kumu had said. “He isn’t one to take holidays lightly.” 

Magnum could definitely testify to that. He recalled the firework shows at both New Year’s and the Fourth of July, the Easter egg hunt for the local kids, who also showed up for trick-or-treating at Halloween. And all of these holiday events, Robin had spent a fortune on. It was part of who he was, sharing what he had to make people happy. So yes, he took holidays very seriously. And Christmas was hardly an exception. 

Higgins and Kumu had a list as long as Magnum’s arm of things to get done, and one of the first things to do was get the Christmas tree. Or Christmas trees. Kumu had explained that they never bought just one tree for the main house. It was too large, four was the usual amount. One big tree for the living area, two smaller ones for the study and another corner of the house, and one medium-sized tree for the guesthouse. Magnum had suggested they just buy an artificial tree for the guesthouse because it would be easier, a suggestion which was instantly rejected by a disgusted Higgins, the stickler for tradition and authenticity, and a simply amused Kumu, who also disapproved of the suggestion, just in a calmer, nicer, Kumu-like way. The two women were ones who had grown up with real trees for Christmas and believed religiously that they were the only right way to do it, so that beloved tradition would not be changing any time soon. 

Magnum himself loved holidays just as much as the average Joe, so when Kumu asked if he would like to go with them to the Christmas tree farm, he hadn’t had any reason to say no. 

What he now wished he had was the ability to see the future, in which Higgins would wake him up at the ungodly hour of seven o’clock the next morning (on a weekend, mind you) and explain that they best get to the farm early before it got crowded. She beat his head a couple times with his pillow, opened the window curtains (which let in a beam of supernatural sunlight straight into his eyeballs), and told him to get some clothes on. 

It had all happened so fast that all Magnum could do was moan and groan at her, except when she suddenly slapped him on the butt! In the almost 2 years they’d known each other, Juliet Higgins had never done that before, and the mere shock of it woke him up immediately. Not to mention, he was slightly (well, maybe more than slightly) turned on by her playful gesture. Because, yes, he could feel the playfulness in that slap. 

“Hey!” he’d exclaimed, not being able to sound annoyed, and chuckled as he sat up, letting her know he was awake. 

She smirked at him when his eyes met hers and... did she look him over? before walking towards the door. 

“Leaving in 10 minutes, Magnum,” she said in that bossy tone of hers and left the room. 

He chuckled again. “Yes, ma’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still waiting for the day Higgins slaps Magnum's butt lol. 
> 
> Hawaiian Christmases sound amazing, don't they? Just researching and reading about them was fun!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I watched last night's episode today, and lord in heaven, it's now one of my favorites! Those last two scenes were just sooo well done and heart-warming. I just loved it!

“You’re not Charlie Brown, Magnum.”

Higgins stood in front of him, arms crossed, glaring at him as he stood in front of the most pathetic looking tree in the entire farm. They’d been there for two hours and already had three trees picked out and on the list to be delivered to Robin’s Nest. The guest house tree was the last one to find, and of course, Magnum would pick this time to want to choose the most pitiful excuse of a Christmas tree she’d ever seen in her life. It wasn’t even medium sized.

“If I remember correctly, Charlie Brown’s friends fixed his tree up and it looked great. And kudos for knowing who Charlie Brown is in the first place,” Magnum said, smirking at her.

She rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Higgy, look at it.” He squatted down and played with one of the tree’s branches. “It has character.”

She laughed. “Oh, yes, the character of a lazy beggar in rags.”

He chewed on his lip and peered up at her.

“Let me guess, you relate to it on a deep, spiritual level.”

She meant it as an insult but Magnum just gave her a thoughtful shrug as if to say “You’re not wrong.”

She chuckled slightly and looked away from him. She should’ve expected that.

Kumu walked up to them, holding a tray with the apple cider and sugar cookies that were being served at the front of the farm, which distracted Higgins from saying anything else to her partner about his strange taste in Christmas trees.

“There you two are.” Kumu said, not daring to take her eyes of the tray as she held it out to them, wary of spilling any.

“Thanks, Kumu,” Higgins smiled, and took a cup of cider, relieving the woman of some of the tray’s weight.

She sipped at the drink and watched as Magnum took the tray from a grateful Kumu and set it on the ground after they both got their own cups. He snatched one of the sugar cookies and took a large bite which left a few crumbs on his lips. The strangest feeling swept over Higgins and she had the sudden urge to lift her hand and casually wipe the crumbs away. She could already feel her thumb quickly brush Magnum’s lips and lower again as if it was something she did all the time.

She mentally rolled her eyes at herself and looked away, observing their surroundings, the other people at the farm. She, Magnum, and Kumu were standing in the third row of Leyland Cypress trees, which was near the front of the farm, so that area would become more congested as more people started showing up.

As if she had read her mind, Kumu said, “People are really pouring in. I had to wait in line for this.” She took a sip of cider. “Well, only one more tree to find and we’ll be out of here.”

Higgins looked at Magnum, who took another bite of his cookie and smirked at her.

“Actually, Kumu, Thomas thinks he’s found it,” she said.

Kumu’s face brightened. “Really?”

Magnum nodded, grinning at her enthusiasm and obviously had the brilliant idea to use it to his advantage.

“Yeah, Kumu, it’s perfect! And...so unique! I’m telling you, there’s probably not another tree like it in the whole farm.”

“You can say that again,” Higgins mumbled, taking another sip, and smirking up at Magnum. Had he moved in front of the tree so that Kumu couldn’t see it yet? Stealthy.

“The only thing is...” Magnum continued. “It’s not quite the size you girls were looking for.”

Higgins almost choked on her cider. “The only thing?! Oh, for God’s sake, Magnum, move over.”

She kicked his leg slightly with her boot to encourage him, and he stepped to the side.

“Here is said tree, Kumu,” she said, and Magnum made a “ta-da” gesture towards it. Higgins mentally commended him for his optimism, because there was no way he was going to win this.

She was instantly rewarded when Kumu busted out laughing, and wasted no time in giving Magnum an “I told you so” look.

“I—I’m sorry, Thomas,” Kumu said between laughs. “But _that's_ the tree you picked out?”

“Yeah, Kumu, come on. It’s cute,” he pouted, taking another bite of his cookie as Higgins joined Kumu with a laugh. He rolled his eyes at them, but their laughs died down before he could possibly start pretending like he didn’t know them.

“I’m sorry, Thomas, it is cute,” Kumu said. “It’s just...”

“Pathetic?” Higgins finished and Kumu chuckled.

Magnum must have not been able to resist a chuckle as well, as Higgins noticed, and shook his head at her.

“Well, it’ll be in the guesthouse, so you won’t have to see it that much,” he said. “I mean, that makes sense, doesn’t it, Kumu? I live in the guesthouse. Shouldn’t I be able to pick the Christmas tree that goes into it?”

Kumu smiled and looked at Higgins. “He’s got a point.”

Higgins scoffed. It was amazing how she could get Kumu on her side and lose her so quickly.

She peered at Magnum. “Why do you want the tree so much? Surely there’s got to be a reason other than what I’ve been thinking of, which is that you’re just being childish.”

Magnum smirked and raised a finger. “Well, when I was a kid, I found a litter of puppies and my mom said we had to sell ‘em. There was this ugly runt in the litter, and no one wanted her, so I took her as my own. It’s the classic underdog story.”

“Oh?” Higgins said. “You never told me you had a dog growing up. What happened to her?”

“Well... she died.”

Higgins snorted. “Of course she did. You know, this tree is barely living in the ground, and it’s not going to live long out of it.”

“She died after running off and getting into some poison,” Magnum explained. “I’m not gonna bring this tree home and stick it into a barrel of Roundup.”

“That’s true, Juliet,” Kumu interjected. “And I have plenty of remedies for keeping a Christmas tree alive.”

“That tree is not going to set stump in Robin’s Nest,” she said, keeping her eyes on her business partner. “Honestly, Magnum, as majordomo, I am in charge of seeing that the estate is completely decorated to Robin’s liking, and that not one tradition is violated. Tours will be in full force over the holidays and how will it look when people enter the guesthouse to see the most pitiful Christmas tree on the island in a multi-million dollar estate?”

Magnum smiled and looked at her as if the answer was obvious. “Uh, it’ll look like the guest, a simple, humble veteran—which I’m sure you will explain as you show them around—picked out his own and happens to believe in the unpretentious.”

He said that last part in a British accent to mock her, which got yet another chuckle out of Kumu. Higgins was just about to roll her eyes and tell him that none of that was true (he was the most pretentious man she’d ever known), when something clicked. Veteran.

She looked at him thoughtfully, cocking her head. “What were the Christmases like at your military base, Magnum?” she asked, the tone of her voice like the one she would use when questioning some shady person who might be involved in one of their cases.

He furrowed his brows at the out-of-the-blue query, but was still smiling slightly, feigning confusion. “I don’t—”

“This tree reminds you of the Christmases you spent there, doesn’t it?”

Of course. It all made sense. Magnum was nothing if not sentimental, and because there were plenty of things about his time in the Navy that he wished he could forget, he grew instantly attached to the things that reminded him of the better times.

There was a pause before he sighed and gave her an look that was a mix of defeat and a bit of amusement, that squint and him chewing the inside of his cheek.

“Maybe.”

Higgins let in a breath and blew it out loudly, puffing her cheeks out. She caught eyes with Kumu, who smiled at her, a look that told Higgins that she knew what her next move was going to be.

Magnum was looking at her with that same “pretty please” puppy-eyed look just like he would if he was waiting for her to finally give in and do something for him. Funny how that look tended to make her come to decisions in his favor. The little cheat.

“Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?” she muttered, and pulled the last yellow purchase tag out of her back pocket. She handed it over to him. “Tag it.”

He face split into a grin as he took the tag from her. “Really?”

“Yes,” she said, trying her best not to smile back. His grins really were infectious (most of them, anyway), but she liked to be difficult. “Kumu, you can put this very fortunate tree on the list to be delivered to Robin’s Nest. It’s number...”

“188,” Magnum said, having already looked at the tag on the little tree.

Higgins repeated the number and Kumu didn’t waste any time, turning around and heading to the front of the farm right after giving Higgins a proud smile.

Higgins smiled back and took a sip of her cider, looking up only to see that Magnum was still smiling at her. But there was something about this one that brought back that feeling she’d had previously when she’d almost wiped the cookie crumbs off his lips.

“What are you waiting for, Magnum? Hurry up before I change my mind,” she said.

His smile only expanded into a full grin and she heard his chuckle as he knelt down and tagged his precious tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Magnum's military background is so close to my heart because I'm from a military family. Him picking out a tree that reminded him of Christmases he spent during his military days with Nuzo, Rick, and TC just seemed like something he would do. He cares so much about the little things and I love it! 
> 
> Would love to know what you thought of this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe Christmas is in 3 days. Where did the time go, y'all?

“Thanks, Higgins.”

Magnum looked at his partner, who stood leaning against the back of one of the living room chairs, examining the little tree that now stood proudly in the corner of the room.

She met his eyes and smiled. “You learn something new every day,” she said. “Today, I learned that my business partner associates shoddy conifers with the Christmases he spent in the military.”

Magnum chuckled and looked back at his tree. It really didn’t look bad at all, especially now that it was in the guesthouse. It was about 5 inches shorter than Higgins, and it’s branches were not bushy and lush. You could see right through the tree to the wall behind it, but at least it was green and smelled good. Higgins had to give it that. And it wasn’t even decorated yet. Once that was completed, Magnum bet that even Higgins would have to admit it was a fine Christmas tree. Sure, it wouldn’t be like the ones in the main house, glamourous to the point where it was gaudy as hell, but it would be cute and simple, perfect in its own way.

“You know,” he started. “Every soldier misses his family while he serves. But Christmases?” He looked at Higgins again and she already wore a solemn look on her face. “Christmases are when they miss them most,” he finished. “Even the soldier who has some of the best friendships right there in his company is lonely on Christmas Day.”

Higgins nodded thoughtfully and hummed a note of a sad comprehension. Magnum didn’t doubt for a minute that she related to what he said to some extent.

“Nuzo and I would disobey orders and go outside the camp just to cut down a skimpy Christmas tree for the guys.”

He laughed and Higgins joined him, rolling her eyes.

“Of course you did,” she said. “I’m sure Captain Greene loved that.”

“Eh, even he didn’t have the heart to punish two dummies who were just trying to merry up Christmas. Make the team feel a little closer, a little more connected to their families. Boosted morale anyway.”

Magnum remembered it all like it was yesterday and started elaborating to Higgins, recalling that particular Christmas in detail. He was practically back at his base, his brothers by his side, Nuzo, Rick, TC, admiring the little tree they’d just decorated with the other guys.

“Everyone contributed something to put on it,” Magnum said. “Leafy camouflage from their uniform, mini flashlights, bullet shells on a string, anything that would hang. Someone even tied together a few old shoe laces and painted them red for a garland. We made it work, it worked well...” He paused and let out a soft chuckle. “And after a few drinks and singing Christmas carols, the thought of not being in the Christmas spirit was as far away as home.”

He smiled and met Higgins’ gaze as he felt her eyes on him the entire time he spoke, and she smiled back.

They were silent for a minute until she suddenly said, “Your sentimentality is both admirable and amusing, Magnum.”

He squinted at her and watched her bend down and grab the net the tree had been wrapped up in when it was delivered.

“You spend those lonely Christmases in the military with your friends and a small tree, and look at you today. You have everything anyone would want. And still...” She smiled, but there was a sadness in it. “...you want to be reminded of those days.”

“And you don’t?” Magnum asked.

She chuckled, folding up the net. “I don’t think many MI6 agents would want to relive some Christmases spent there.”

She walked past him and towards the front door, and he followed.

“Is there a story behind that?”

“Perhaps.” She turned around, smiling. “But let’s just say, I’m enjoying Christmas in Hawaii. With a stable, slightly more normal job, better weather, and...” She paused and took in a breath. “Good friends. Real friends to enjoy it _with_.”

She emphasized that last word and Magnum mirrored her smile, his heart warming every time she spoke so fondly of their Ohana. So the tender moment had him completely unprepared when Higgins suddenly put on a mocking expression and said, “And large, perfect Christmas trees!” before turning around and leaving the house, looking back at him only to give him a teasing grin.

“Oh, come on!” Magnum called out after her, resulting in her laugh, a guarantee that she would be teasing him for a while about that Charlie Brown Christmas tree in his living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perdie's laugh is literally my favorite thing ever, so I could easily hear it when I wrote it into the end of this chapter. Also, it was so fun to write this after finding out that Perdie is really spending Christmas in Hawaii this year! Lucky her! I want to spend Christmas there and hopefully someday I will. That would be pretty dang awesome!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get any time to write during the Christmas week, hence this last chapter taking a little while to get itself finished and posted. And I still honestly don't know if I like how it turned out? It's probably just the fact that it was a bit hurried. But alas! 
> 
> I hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year!! Fingers crossed for 2021!

Higgins hoisted a box of Christmas decorations on her hip as she walked towards the guesthouse. She’d been shopping the rest of the afternoon with Kumu for extra decor, and after spending hours in the shops, she was ready to collapse and never set foot into another store again.

“Thank God Christmas only comes once a year,” she muttered, pressing her back to the guesthouse door in order to rest the box on her knee and turn the doorknob to enter the house.

The sound of laughter and the signature smell of her partner greeted her as she entered the room, and she kicked the door closed behind her before entering the living area.

“Hello, gents,” she said, when she spotted Magnum, TC, and Rick, who replied with a warm “Hey, Higgy.”

She set the box down on the couch and turned to them, before gesturing to Magnum’s tree. “I see you’ve met the shrub.”

Magnum emitted some protesting noise mixed with a laugh. “Unbelievable. That makes how many offenses today?”

“All I can say is that I hope you don’t think it’s the last. I plan to tease you about it for the next few years, at least.” She chuckled and started opening the box. “Look, Kumu has loads of decorations in the car, so if you guys could help her out, I’m sure it would be much appreciated.”

“On it,” TC replied promptly, putting his beer bottle down and heading for the front door.

“Don’t worry, Jules,” Rick said as he followed. “Thomas’s shrub might look pretty pathetic right now, but by the time we’re done with it, it’ll look tree-mendous.”

Higgins cringed and laughed at him as he strutted out of the house, and looked at Magnum when he groaned at Rick’s pun.

“Looks like you guys are planning some major transformation for the twig?” she asked.

He laughed again at her remark, and Higgins loved to see it.

“Something like that,” he replied.

Higgins gave him a brisk nod and turned back to her box, pulling out a container of small ornaments and held them up for him to see.

“I know you said you were going to decorate your tree similarly to how you did in the military,” she began, “but I got these just in case you wanted a little more pizzazz. Thought they’d look nice.”

She held them out to him and he smiled and walked over to her.

“Thanks, Higgy. It’ll be like your own contribution! TC and Rick are gonna pitch in, and this will be yours.”

“Yes, well, let’s see if the tree can even handle the weight.”

“It will.”

“Your confidence is baseless.”

“Well, then it’ll give me a chance to prove you wrong once again,” Magnum said, snatching the box of ornaments from her and walking to the tree.

“You say that like you have some sort of record.”

She put her hand on her hips and watched as Magnum opened the container, flamboyantly tossing the lid across the room for effect, and grinning at her the entire time. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, which she knew only fueled him. He took an ornament out, and Higgins felt a rush of pride at her choice, having been careful to get ones that were small and simple. She might forever tease Magnum about his little tree, but she found his sentimentality not only admirable, but adorable, and wouldn’t dream of trying to modify anything now. Except for adding a little bit of her own “contribution”, as Magnum put it, even though hers would be less military-themed and a bit more traditional.

Magnum placed a little red and gold ornament on a branch, and when it held up perfectly, let out a victorious whoop!

“Ha! Told ya,” he said, spinning on his heel to look at her.

She pursed her lips and started clapping slowly. “Truly an amazing thing to witness. Maybe we should call Hawaii News Now and have them come over and shoot a story.”

Magnum smirked as he walked back over to her. “Not a bad idea. You got their number?”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” she dead-panned and turned back to her box. Magnum’s wicked chuckle made her smile and she shook her head as she started pulling out more decorations, some red ribbon and a green garland with lights wrapped around it.

“This will be for the staircase,” she informed him. “I must say, I was quite relieved to know that you don’t plan on giving the entire guesthouse a military base atmosphere. That would’ve been quite an addition to our list of family arguments, eh?”

“Actually, about that—”

“Don’t you dare!” she demanded, and Magnum busted out laughing.

“I’m just messing with you, Higgy. I might like the idea of having a Christmas tree from my military days, but I would not want to see this place looking like my base. It wasn’t exactly a five-star hotel.”

“I can only imagine,” she said, as she emptied the last of the decorations from the box before pulling it off of the couch and turning to him.

“That’s it for these decorations,” she said before starting toward the door. “We should probably help the others unload the Range Rover.”

She heard Magnum as he followed her.

“Your wish is my command,” he said, and before Higgins even had a chance to chuckle at that, a brisk slap to her ass had her gasping and swinging around to stare at her partner, mouth open, eyes wide. She was shocked. She didn’t know what to think, whether to be angry or confused or... delighted?

Magnum was obviously worried that what he did wasn’t such a great idea due to the repentant look on his face and how he slowly raised his hands in surrender. But he still smirked at her and his tone was an amused one when he said, “It’s just payback.”

She jerked her head. “What?”

“That was payback for this morning.”

He didn’t have to explain. The events of that morning were still fresh in her memory, how she slapped him on the butt when she woke him up. She’d never done that before and laughed inwardly at how far they’d come for her to actually do so without even thinking twice about it. And now Magnum had done it too.

A few seconds passed before she smiled, and she smiled even more when she saw the relief on his face now that he knew he wouldn’t be executed right then and there.

“Right.”

He grinned. “So we’re even?”

Higgins thought about it.

“Perhaps.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An abrupt ending, I know, but I think it's fun. Higgins answering with "perhaps" will either lead to more chapters at some point or a separate fanfic continuing on with stories of her and Magnum's game of slapping each other's butts at random times, eventually leading up to some romantic moments. 
> 
> But it's over for now, because I have many other fanfics that I want to write!


End file.
